425: Make a comeback!

Xiao Jingyan led one hundred loyal Xiao family members, swiftly heading west along a desolate path.

The wound on his left shoulder had not healed, and every step felt like a knife twisting, yet an unyielding flame burned in his eyes.

"Father, you uphold your loyalty and righteousness, and I will walk my king's path.

One day, I will lead an army of thousands and stand openly beneath City Yunyang—

To let you see with your own eyes that my choice was not wrong!"

He had this confidence.

The hundred elites were all the fiercest warriors of the Xiao Bloodline;

He possessed an Innate Spiritual Vein, reaching the ninth layer of Qi Condensation at twenty years old, hailed as the "Central Plains' top Genius in a century";

A comeback was only a matter of time.

However—

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The sound of rushing air suddenly erupted!

Dozens of dark figures leaped down from the cliffs on both sides, wearing grotesque masks, their spiritual power surging—all at the eighth layer of Qi Condensation or above!

The seven leaders were even close to the Foundation Establishment threshold, their killing intent like a tide!

"Kill!" Xiao Jingyan roared, drawing his sword to meet the enemy.

A bloody battle erupted!

Sword light and Talismanic Incantations intertwined, spiritual explosions shattering rocks.

The Xiao family's loyalists fought with their lives, three for one enemy, ten protecting one master.

But there were too many enemies, and they were too strong.

An hour later, only thirty remained of the hundred, all wounded, blood staining the yellow sand.

"Young Master, run! We'll cover you!" Xiao Lie roared, his eyes bloodshot, his long blade already chipped.

Xiao Jingyan gritted his teeth, tears in his eyes, and broke through the encirclement.

He dared not look back—he knew that every step of his escape was paved with his brothers' lives.

But just as he ran ten li, a shadowy figure like a ghost blocked the middle of the road.

The person was as tall as a mountain, covered by a bronze demon mask, with two points of eerie fire flickering deep within their eye sockets.

Their voice was as cold as the wind of Hell:

"Long time no see, Xiao Jingyan."

Xiao Jingyan's pupils dilated: "I don't know you! Get lost!"

Before he finished speaking—

"Boom!"

The opponent only struck once with their palm.

Spiritual power surged like a tsunami, pressing down. Xiao Jingyan didn't even have time to react, and he flew backward like a kite with a broken string, his internal organs feeling as if they were crushed!

The masked man's cultivation had reached the ninth layer of Foundation Establishment!

With such a Realm suppression, there was no chance of victory!

"Young Master, run!" Xiao Lie roared madly, immediately burning his Origin Bloodline, transforming into a blood shadow that pounced and tightly embraced the masked man's legs, "Run, quickly—!"

Xiao Jingyan was not sentimental, he didn't hesitate, turning and fleeing! He burned all his spiritual power, escaping frantically!

The masked man sneered, one palm, two palms, three palms... Each palm shattered one of Xiao Lie's ribs, but Xiao Lie's hands remained unyielding until death!

Finally, the masked man's five fingers ignited with eerie blue ghost fire, incinerating Xiao Lie's body into ashes before he could break free.

He licked the ashes from his fingertips, his low laughter sinister:

"Hehe... you won't get far."

Indeed, in less than half an incense stick's time, he caught up to Xiao Jingyan, who had collapsed on the ground.

Under the moonlight, Xiao Jingyan, covered in blood, looked up at the sky and cried out in sorrow:

"Heaven! Was I truly wrong? Why force me into such a desperate situation?!

Does this chaotic world truly not tolerate a hero like me?!"

Above the heavens, Lu Chen quietly gazed down, his eyes devoid of joy or sorrow. He did not intend to save Xiao Jingyan.

If Xiao Jingyan couldn't even overcome such a small tribulation, he wasn't worthy of being a Child of Destiny.

The masked man slowly stepped forward, grabbing Xiao Jingyan's throat with one hand and pressing the other onto his Dantian—

"Ghost Valley Vein Drawing Technique!"

Excruciating pain tore through his Soul!

Xiao Jingyan screamed like a beast, as a brilliant golden light was forcibly extracted from his body—

His Innate Spiritual Vein!

That was the Foundation of the Great Dao he was born with, a sacred cultivation body rarely seen in a century!

"Hahaha... it's finally mine!" The masked man trembled with ecstasy, "With this Vein, my Breakthrough to Golden Core is just around the corner! Chu Kingdom? The world? All will be in my grasp!"

Xiao Jingyan collapsed to the ground, his Meridians withered, his spiritual sea collapsed, reduced to a Mortal.

Xiao Jingyan understood. This person had apparently been eyeing him for a long time, his goal being to plunder his Innate Spiritual Vein.

However, it didn't matter anymore. Victor and vanquished, since he had lost, then he would die.

He closed his eyes, his heart ashen:

"If you want to kill me, then kill me, no need for more words."

But the masked man scoffed, kicking him into a muddy pit like a discarded stray dog.

Xiao Jingyan suddenly looked up, his voice hoarse as he demanded:

"Why don't you kill me?! What deep hatred do I have with you that you torment me like this?"

The masked man's laughter was sinister, like the cry of a night owl:

"Haha... you are such a proud, ambitious person.

Killing you? That would be too merciful.

I want you to live—

Live to see yourself fall from a Genius to an ant,

Live to see how the world tramples on your once unassailable dignity,

Live in endless pain, regretting every day why you didn't obediently become my Disciple!"

Xiao Jingyan suddenly started: "Ten years ago? The Capital's Spring Festival?"

"My dear, finally remembered?" The masked man suddenly tore off his mask!

An ugly face was starkly exposed under the moonlight—

Skin charred black like charcoal, features twisted, his right eye a mere empty socket, his left lip torn to the earlobe.

Those were the marks left by fire torture.

"That year you were ten, standing on the royal palace's jade steps, adorned in fine clothes and jade belts, the focus of all eyes."

Zhuge Mo's voice trembled, his eyes burning with mad hatred, "I saw at a glance that you possessed an Innate Spiritual Vein, a Dao Body rarely seen in a century!

I was willing to pour out all my knowledge, take you as my Disciple, and help you ascend to the Great Dao!

But you?

You actually pointed at me in public and screamed, saying I was a Yue Kingdom spy! Saying I was trying to kidnap you!

You even said my gaze was greedy and I harbored ill intentions... The result? I was thrown into a death row, suffered fire torture for three days, and this face, it's all thanks to you!"

Xiao Jingyan froze, then looked up at the sky and burst into laughter, his laughter sharp as a knife:

"So it was you!

I knew something was off back then—your gaze wasn't looking at a Disciple, it was looking at prey!

That greed, you couldn't hide it!

If I hadn't made the first move, I'm afraid my Spiritual Vein would have been drained that very night!

You had your eyes on my Innate Spiritual Vein since then, didn't you?!"

"Clever!" Zhuge Mo sneered, "However, fate favored me; I gained a blessing in disguise! King Wei of Chu personally came to the death row, and I quickly reported my lineage as the second generation successor of the Ghost Valley Sect! King Wei of Chu immediately pardoned me and even appointed me as his military advisor!

For these ten years, I Cultivated the 'Ghost Valley Scripture' day and night, just waiting for today—

To personally take back the Opportunity that should have been mine from you!"

Xiao Jingyan gritted his teeth, enunciating each word: "I know who you are now, Zhuge Mo! The mysterious National Advisor beside the King of Chu! Hmph, if you have the guts, kill me now!

Otherwise—one day, I will make a comeback!

I will slice your flesh piece by piece, let you experience all the tortures in the world,

Then nail you to the city wall of Chu, letting all under heaven see the fate of those who humiliate me!"

"Hahaha..." Zhuge Mo was not angry, but instead overjoyed, "That would be wonderful!

I await that day!

Now I am the National Advisor of Chu, and the King of Chu listens only to me;

Having obtained your Innate Spiritual Vein, Major Achievement of Golden Core is just around the corner!

And you? A cripple, unable to even stand steadily!

If you can still turn the tables like this—then you are truly the legendary Child of Destiny!

At that time..."

His eyes flashed with extreme greed, "I will personally seize your destiny!"